Gothic Bride Was the *Real* Theme of the Met Gala 2024

published 7 May 2024

There's still a lot to unpack about the Met Gala 2024, but looking at the stunning celebrity looks from last night's event with fresh eyes this morning, it would seem that there was a secret theme that none of us on the outside knew about, as so many of the event's attendees took to the garden-themed carpet dressed as gothic brides.

The theme of the 2024 Met Gala was The Garden of Time, which is inspired by a story of the same name by J.G. Ballard. In short, "The Garden of Time" tells the tale of a count and his wife whose sprawling mansion is under siege by an angry mob who want to claim it for their own. The mansion, however, is surrounded by beautiful gardens that have the ability to bend time. Each time the count cuts back some of his garden, he, his wife, and their home delay the mob. Eventually, however, the count cuts back the entirety of his garden, destroying its beauty and ultimately running out of time, after which the mob uprise and take over the mansion. Some celebrities and designers clearly resonated with the dystopian prose and used that as the inspiration for their gothic looks.

Some gowns were sweeping, others featured ornate lacework, but they felt bridal in their execution. From Zendaya to Dua Lipa, scroll on to see every gothic bridal celebrity look from the 2024 Met Gala.

Here Come the Met Gala 2024 Gothic Brides

Emma Chamberlain Wearing John Galliano

Met Gala 2024 Gothic Bridal Looks Celebrities

From the delicate lace to her smoldering makeup, Emma Chamberlain was committed to her gothic bridal look.

Dua Lipa Wearing Marc Jacobs

Feathers, lace, and a train—there's a lot going on here, but Dua Lipa makes it work.

Penélope Cruz Wearing Chanel

And the bride (read: Penélope Cruz) wore Chanel—because of course you would if you could.

Zendaya Wearing Givenchy

Not content with one showstopping look, Zendaya also treated us to this corseted creation from the Givenchy archives.

Cardi B Wearing Giambattista Valli

Wide-angle lenses were required to capture Cardi B's gothic, garden-size dress in all its glory.

Ashley Graham Wearing Ludovic de Saint Sernin

More brides should wear leather on their wedding days, IMO.

Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her own Who What Wear UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.